The funny counterattack of traveling through time and space and becoming a vicious female supporting

Chapter 109 The Landlord Arrives

Master Zheng's manor was in an excellent location, something Gu Yichen and Lu Ling'er had already determined. Taoyuan Mountain Villa was adjacent to Zheng Manor, and as owners of the manor, they were intimately familiar with the land's soil, climate, and water resources. However, Gu Yichen, always cautious, decided to send someone to inspect the manor, specifically the integrity of the title deed and the buildings, to ensure they were in good condition.

The morning sun shone into the courtyard. Gu Yichen and Lu Ling'er stood side by side in the corridor, whispering about their next arrangements. Lu Ling'er stood aside, her expression focused, and said softly, "It's better to go and confirm it in person. After all, details like the house and land deeds cannot be missed."

Gu Yichen nodded, secretly admiring Lu Ling'er's intelligence. He knew Lu Ling'er was always cautious and thorough, so he took her suggestions very seriously. Turning to Steward Ji and Steward Zhang, he said, "You two should personally go to Master Zheng's manor and carefully verify that the land deeds, houses, and other items are complete. Especially, the land area must be accurate." They both responded in unison, "Yes, Master!"

However, at this moment, Lu Linger suddenly had an idea and quickly added, "By the way, Manager Zhang, there's one more matter I need your help with. When you go this time, you can bring Ji Junche with you. When the time comes, you can also ask the servants at the manor if they're willing to stay. Of course, if they want to redeem themselves or leave with Master Zheng, they must be clearly registered."

Gu Yichen couldn't help but smile when he heard this. He looked at Lu Ling'er, his eyes full of admiration. He thought to himself, this little girl is really smart, always able to think of some details that he hadn't noticed. And Lu Ling'er seemed to feel his gaze. She lowered her head and smiled softly, her eyes revealing a kind of confidence and tacit understanding.

Soon, Steward Ji and Steward Zhang set off to head to Master Zheng's manor. Following Lu Ling'er's instructions, they wrote down all the items that needed to be inspected and pledged to complete the task diligently. After the two stewards left, Gu Yichen and Lu Ling'er began discussing the manor's pricing.

According to what Master Zheng had said before, the land on this farm was divided into several grades, and the price of each grade was also different. The best first-grade land was sold for as much as 30 taels of silver per mu, while the worst third-grade land was only 5 taels of silver per mu.

The specific quotes are as follows:

Wasteland: 100 mu, 2 taels of silver per mu, a total of 200 taels.

Superior land: 200 mu, 25 taels of silver per mu, a total of 5000 taels.

Medium-sized farmland: 100 mu, 15 taels of silver per mu, totaling 1500 taels.

Inferior land: 130 mu, 8 taels of silver per mu, a total of 1040 taels.

Pond: 70 mu, 20 taels of silver per mu, a total of 1400 taels.

According to preliminary estimates, the total value of Mr. Zheng's manor is 9140 taels of silver.

Gu Yichen frowned. While the offer seemed reasonable, he had a feeling the manor's true value might be far greater. He lowered his voice to Lu Ling'er, "While this price sounds reasonable, we must note that the condition of the buildings and property, as well as the fate of the servants, haven't been factored in yet." Lu Ling'er nodded, agreeing with Gu Yichen. "Yes, especially the fate of the servants. This is crucial to the manor's smooth operation. If we need to recruit and train new servants after taking over, the time and effort expended will be a huge hidden cost." Just then, Steward Zhang and Ji Junche returned from the manor, bringing with them a detailed investigation report.

According to them, the houses on the manor were well-preserved, and the deeds to the land were all in place. There were a total of 115 servants left behind by Manor Master Zheng, the vast majority of whom were willing to continue working on the manor, with only a very small number of older servants choosing to redeem themselves and leave. At the same time, some of the manor's products, such as the grain in the granary and the fish fry in the pond, were also left on the manor and were not taken away by Manor Master Zheng. After hearing this, Gu Yichen had made up his mind. He understood that these uncounted houses, servants, and products on the manor were all additional value, so the final price should be higher than the previously estimated 9140 taels. He looked at Manor Master Zheng, his tone gentle but with a hint of firmness: "Manor Master Zheng, after our verification, the servants and products on the manor were not taken away, and the houses are also quite intact. These are all additional value. Can you consider including them in the final price?"

Manor Master Zheng knew that he had left these things behind on purpose, hoping to get the buyer to pay more. Hearing Gu Yichen's words, he wasn't surprised, but still feigned surprise and said, "Oh? Is there such a thing? I thought the servants had already left! But if that's the case, then naturally these should be included. Master Shen, how much do you think should be added?"

Gu Yichen smiled faintly. He knew Manor Master Zheng's intentions well, but he didn't want to expose them. He thought for a moment and said, "Common sense suggests that recruiting these servants would cost at least several hundred taels of silver. And buying back these houses and the manor's belongings would also cost a considerable amount. Therefore, I believe the final price should be higher than previously estimated."

Manor Master Zheng was already prepared. He glanced at Gu Yichen, then glanced at the Shen family members around him. He knew this was an opportunity, so he readily agreed: "Young Master Shen is right. These are all added value of the manor. In this case, let's set a price. How about ten thousand taels of silver?"

Although this price was nearly a thousand taels higher than the initial estimate, it was still within the Shen family's reach. Furthermore, they could understand Master Zheng's desire to sell for a higher price. After all, everyone wanted to get the maximum return on their wealth.

Gu Yichen nodded in agreement. He turned to look at Mr. Shen and the rest of the Shen family, asking for their opinions. Mr. Shen and the others exchanged glances and all agreed. They thought the price was reasonable and acceptable.

Seeing no one objected, Master Zheng smiled and said, "That's it! Let's sign the contract today, and the manor will officially become the Shen family's property. From now on, this manor will be the Shen family's property." With that, he asked for pen and paper, and wrote the contract on the spot. After both parties carefully reviewed it and confirmed it was correct, they signed and sealed it.

The contract was made in duplicate, one kept by Manor Master Zheng and the other given to the Shen family. From then on, the manor became the Shen family's property, and Gu Yichen, as the Shen family's representative, would be responsible for its management and operation.

Gu Yichen pondered for a moment, and felt that the price was appropriate, so he nodded and agreed: "Deal, ten thousand taels of silver."

This transaction was undoubtedly a successful expansion for the Ji family. Not only did they acquire high-quality land, they also retained the servants of Master Zheng's manor, saving the trouble of recruiting and training new ones. After the transaction was completed, Ji Junche and Manager Zhang immediately began arranging the land transfer procedures and began to fully integrate the manor's operations into the Ji family's management system.

That evening, Gu Yichen and Lu Ling'er decided to go to the manor to see what was really going on. Standing on the manor's high ground, they looked down at the vast expanse of land. The setting sun cast its rays across the golden fields, the pond shimmered, and the wind carried the fragrance of rice.

Lu Linger smiled slightly and whispered, "This piece of land will definitely bring rich returns to the Ji family in the future."

Gu Yichen held her hand, his eyes firm and full of hope: "Yes, this is not only the future of our family, but also our common cause."